diff --git vertical_tabs.module vertical_tabs.module
index ae21797..4d13fb9 100644
--- vertical_tabs.module
+++ vertical_tabs.module
@@ -29,13 +29,27 @@ function vertical_tabs_form_alter(&$form, $form_state, $form_id) {
   // string node_form in the form id.
   if (preg_match('/_node_form$/', $form_id)) {
     $node_type = $form['type']['#value'];
+    $default_tab = vertical_tabs_default_tab($node_type);
+    if (strlen($default_tab)) {
+      // Add default tab now, but move elements inside later,
+      // in pre-render callback
+      $form['vertical_tab_default'] = array(
+        '#type'        => 'fieldset',
+        '#title'       => $default_tab,
+        '#weight'      => -100,
+      );
+    }
+    // Setting prerender callback for default vertical tab manipulations
+    $form['#pre_render'][] = 'vertical_tabs_node_form_prerender';
 
-    // The $fieldsets array is a list of all supported fieldsets in core
-    // for the node form, and their JavaScript summary creators.
+    // Vertical-tabs-enabled fieldsets
     $fieldsets = vertical_tabs_fieldsets($node_type);
 
+    $fieldsets[] = 'vertical_tab_default';
+
     // The javascript to add to the page.
     $settings = array();
+
     // Iterate through the form, finding fieldsets.
     foreach (element_children($form) as $delta => $key) {
       // We need to make sure that the element we have is a fieldset
@@ -91,7 +105,6 @@ function vertical_tabs_form_alter(&$form, $form_state, $form_id) {
 
       // Extra classes for configuration?
       // $classes[] = 'some-option';
-
       $form['vertical_tabs'] = array(
         '#vertical_tabs_settings' => $settings,
         '#vertical_tabs_js' => $js,
@@ -121,6 +134,62 @@ function vertical_tabs_form_alter(&$form, $form_state, $form_id) {
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ *  Pre-render callback for moving form elements to default vertical tab
+ */
+function vertical_tabs_node_form_prerender($form) {
+  $node_type = $form['type']['#value'];
+  $default_tab = vertical_tabs_default_tab($node_type);
+  if (strlen($default_tab)) {
+    // Vertical-tabs-enabled fieldsets
+    $fieldsets = vertical_tabs_fieldsets($node_type);
+
+    // Form element types to put in the tab
+    $valid_types = array(
+      'button',
+      'checkbox',
+      'checkboxes',
+      'date',
+      'fieldset',
+      'file',
+      'form',
+      //'hidden',
+      'markup',
+      'password',
+      'radio',
+      'radios',
+      'select',
+      'submit',
+      'textarea',
+      'textfield',
+      //'value',
+      'weight',
+    );
+    // Form element keys to exclude from the default tab
+    $exclude_keys = array(
+      'vertical_tab_default',
+      'vertical_tabs',
+      'buttons',
+    );
+    // Any module can implement hook_vertical_tabs_default_tab_alter() to alter default tab content
+    // $valid_types and $exclude_keys for simple modifications and $form for heavy lifting
+    drupal_alter('vertical_tabs_default_tab', $valid_types, $exclude_keys, $form);
+
+    $exclude_keys = array_merge($fieldsets, $exclude_keys);
+
+    // Iterate through the form, finding everything that meets our criteria.
+    foreach (element_children($form) as $delta => $key) {
+      if (!in_array($key, $exclude_keys) &&
+        (!isset($form[$key]['#access']) || $form[$key]['#access'] != FALSE) &&
+        (in_array($form[$key]['#type'], $valid_types) || !isset($form[$key]['#type']))) {
+          $form['vertical_tab_default'][$key] = $form[$key];
+          unset($form[$key]);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return $form;
+}
+
 function vertical_tabs_node_type_form($node_type) {
   module_load_include('inc', 'node', 'node.pages');
 
@@ -146,7 +215,10 @@ function vertical_tabs_node_type_form($node_type) {
   // Find all fieldsets.
   $fieldsets = array();
   foreach (element_children($node_form) as $key) {
-    if (isset($node_form[$key]['#type']) && $node_form[$key]['#type'] == 'fieldset' && isset($node_form[$key]['#title'])) {
+    if (isset($node_form[$key]['#type']) &&
+        $node_form[$key]['#type'] == 'fieldset' &&
+        $key != 'vertical_tab_default' &&
+        isset($node_form[$key]['#title'])) {
       $fieldsets[$key] = $node_form[$key]['#title'];
     }
   }
@@ -160,6 +232,12 @@ function vertical_tabs_node_type_form($node_type) {
     '#collapsed' => TRUE,
     '#description' => t('The selected fieldsets will be rendered as vertical tabs for this content type. The tabs are rendered in the same version as the original form\'s fieldsets.'),
   );
+  $form['vertical_tabs']['vertical_tabs_default_tab'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'textfield',
+    '#title' => t('Name of Default Vertical Tab'),
+    '#description' => t('Leave blank to keep top level form elements like title and body outside of Vertical Tabs.'),
+    '#default_value' => vertical_tabs_default_tab($node_type),
+  );
   $form['vertical_tabs']['vertical_tabs_fieldsets'] = array(
     '#type' => 'checkboxes',
     '#options' => $fieldsets,
@@ -245,6 +323,13 @@ function vertical_tabs_fieldsets($node_type) {
 }
 
 /**
+ * Retrieve the name of the default tab if it's set.
+ */
+function vertical_tabs_default_tab($node_type) {
+  return variable_get('vertical_tabs_default_tab_' . $node_type, '');
+}
+
+/**
  * After build function to add vertical tabs JS and CSS to the form.
  */
 function theme_vertical_tabs(&$form_element) {
@@ -255,7 +340,7 @@ function theme_vertical_tabs(&$form_element) {
 }
 
 /**
- * 
+ *
  */
 function theme_vertical_tabs_js_css($js, $css, $settings, $form_id) {
   static $js_added = array();